Boreholes and solar power were the most in-demand home services in 2022, according to data. More and more South African homeowners are looking for ways to reduce their reliance on municipal services and secure their energy and water supplies.
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This is according to the latest data from Kandua.com, South Africa’s largest online marketplace for home services.
Compared to the same time last year, the number of requests for borehole and solar power experts has gone up by 71% and 60%, respectively.
“Ongoing loadshedding and water supply issues are prompting a growing number of homeowners to seek out ways to reduce their reliance on municipal services, secure their energy and water supplies, or embrace renewable resources,” explains Ally Nezar, kandua.com’s Head of Growth.
“It has been interesting to see how the demand has fluctuated across different types of services, especially during and post-COVID. October 2022 has been our best month over the past year: the market is stabilizing, and more people are using online tools to shop for goods and services,” she adds.
Exploring the trends
During 2020 and 2021, there was a lot of demand for home upgrade services. This was mostly because South Africans were stuck at home because of ongoing lockdowns, travel restrictions, and remote work arrangements.
Without the usual outlets for entertainment and creative fulfilment, many homeowners turned their attention to their home renovation wish lists.
“Services such as upgrading outdoor decking, irrigation systems, window blinds, wallpaper installations, tree felling, granite, thatching, laminate flooring, and fencing are usually only needed once every few years,” states Nezar.
She adds, “During the lockdown period, homeowners took the opportunity to invest in these large-scale home upgrades. Now, with the job done, they are turning their attention back to pre-pandemic activities and boosting loadshedding resilience.”
The kitchen is always the most popular room of the house for major renovations, according to Nezar. Demand in this one area is showing no signs of slowing down, as evidenced by the 54% increase in requests for kitchen specialists.
“We’ve also seen an increased demand for pet sitters, up by 60%; driving instructors, up by 41%; and tailors, where demand has gone up by 10%. This is undoubtedly related to the fact that many workers have returned to the office, even if that is only on some days,” says Nezar.
Increased online shopping can benefit small and medium-sized enterprises
Homeowners are increasingly looking online to find service providers for their regular home maintenance and repair needs. This is evidenced by the increase in requests posted for garden services (+25%), electricians (+39%), handymen (+36%), mechanics (+55%), specialist cleaners (+42%), and TV repairers (+65%).
“The pandemic accelerated many digital trends, and this is no different in the home services sector,” says Nezar. “Maintenance and repair are always needed, and many people prefer the personalised service and affordability of small businesses but are not sure how to find providers they can trust.”
Since each service provider on Kandua.com has received verified reviews from previous clients, you can compare quotes and pros to find the one that best meets your requirements.
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